The part needed to fix a CL-415 water bomber damaged in a drone strike in Los Angeles on Thursday was on its way to L.A. on Friday. The aircraft could be back in the air as soon as Monday. DeHavilland Canada, which holds the type certificate for the so-called Super Scooper and supports the worldwide fleet, apparently had the piece of wing structure in stock and air freighted it within hours of the collision. “De Havilland Canada remains on standby 24/7 to support crews and keep the fleet flying.”
The amphibious aircraft was on its way to a drop about 1 p.m. on Thursday when the collision occurred. The crew was unaware of the drone strike and apparently continued picking up and dropping water from Santa Monica Bay on the nearby fires. “It wasn’t until they landed at Van Nuys airport that the maintenance staff noticed that there was a fist-sized hole in the leading edge of the wing, inboard of the landing light,” said L.A. Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott.
The Super Scoopers’ aerial ballet became a symbol of hope for beleaguered residents as more than 12,000 buildings were lost or damaged in an unprecedented firestorm. The return to service of the plane can’t come too soon. The National Weather Service is forecasting the return of the Santa Ana winds that sparked the crisis.
